Anders Behring Breivik emailed his 1,500-page “manifesto” to 250 British
contacts less than 90 minutes before he detonated a bomb in Oslo.

Scotland Yard’s domestic extremism unit, which is investigating Breivik’s British links, has been sent a list of UK-based email addresses among 1,003 recipients of the document.

Breivik joined online conversations with members of the Right-wing English Defence League, telling them to “keep up the good work” in the months before he killed 76 people in Norway’s worst terrorist outrage.

He was told he would be welcome at EDL demonstrations, and wrote about visiting Bradford and London. He is also reported to have attended an EDL rally in Newcastle.

Using the name Andrew Berwick, Breivik emailed out his manifesto, and a link to a YouTube video showing him holding a gun, at 2.09pm on Friday, one hour and 17 minutes before his bomb detonated in Oslo. He addressed each recipient as a “Western European patriot” and wrote: “It is a gift to you … I ask that you distribute this book to everyone you know.”

Tanguys Veys, a Belgian MP for the far-Right, anti-Muslim Vlaams-Belang party who received the document, said “at least a quarter” of recipients were UK-based, with the rest in Europe and the US. He said he had never been in contact with Breivik.

In the manifesto, Breivik, 32, said he was using the “code name” of “Sigurd (the Crusader)”, after Sigurd Jorsalfare, the 12th century Norwegian king. He used the pseudonym on the EDL’s online message board, in postings found by the anti-fascist group Searchlight.

He told EDL members: “You’re a blessing to all in Europe,” and said they were engaged in a “common struggle” against Islam.

In March, he wrote: “In these dark times all of Europe are looking to you in search of inspiration, courage and even hope that we might turn this evil trend with Islamisation all across our continent. Well, just wanted to say keep up the good work, it’s good to see others that care about their country and heritage.”

In another posting he wrote: “I’ve seen what has happened to England, I was in Bradford some years ago, me and a friend walked down to the football stadium of Bradford, real 'nice’ neighbourhood, same thing in the suburbs of London.”

He said he was thinking about returning to “join you in a demo”, to which one EDL supporter replied: “Bravo, admire your views and courage. No surrender and welcome.”

The postings stopped days before the attacks.

Breivik’s solicitor, Geir Lippestad, confirmed that his client had visited Britain, and had said there were “two more cells in Norway and others from the Western world” ready to follow his example.

Supporters of the EDL have posted messages online to say they met Breivik at rallies in Britain, and Breivik claimed to have 600 EDL members among his Facebook friends.

Stephen Lennon, the leader of the EDL, said no one from the organisation had met Breivik, but predicted a similar atrocity in Britain. He said: “I know how incensed people are at the threat of Islam. This is not a threat but in five to 10 years we will have English lads blowing themselves up.”

Þ The Italian MEP Mario Borghezio, who is part of the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group which includes Ukip, caused outrage when he said: “One hundred per cent of Breivik’s ideas are good, in some cases extremely good. The positions of Breivik reflect the views of those movements across Europe which are winning elections.” A Ukip spokesman called the comments “reprehensible”.